The Kaduna State Government has said it will extend the salary-related concessions recently granted to academic staff of Kaduna State University (KASU) to other state-owned tertiary institutions.
The government said discussions would soon commence with unions in the affected institutions as part of efforts to resolve their concerns and improve conditions of service.
Prof. Sani Sambo, Kaduna State Commissioner of Education, who represented Governor, Uba Sani at the 2025 Barewa Old Boys Association’s Annual General Meeting, disclosed this while speaking with journalists in Zaria.
He said the governor had constituted a nine-member tertiary institutions negotiation committee to engage the unions towards amicable solution.
The Commissioner said the committee began with KASU because of the industrial action involving the university’s academic staff, adding that discussions with other institutions would follow.
“Governor Uba Sani is very mindful of that. We will also start discussing with their own unions so that what has been given to the academic staff of KASU will be extended to those other unions as well,” he said.
According to him, the implementation of the KASU agreement is expected to commence with the October salary, while negotiations with the College of Education and other tertiary institutions would determine the applicable arrangements.
“The state government attached great importance to the College of Education because it produces teachers, while the polytechnic and other institutions play important roles in developing the technical and vocational skills required to drive economic growth,” the commissioner said.
He further stated that the state government has prioritized education, particularly basic and secondary education, in its development agenda.
According to him, Kaduna State Government had allocated about 25 per cent of the state budget to education in each of the last three budget cycles, while it continues to renovate schools and improve infrastructure as part of efforts to strengthen the education sector.
On the problem of out-of-school children, the commissioner said the number had dropped significantly since the current administration came into office.
According to him, the number of out-of-school children in the state was previously put at more than 500,000, while about 300,000 had since been integrated into the formal school system.
Prof. Sambo said the government is also working with development partners to address the problem, including efforts to incorporate Almajiri education into the formal system.
He explained that Almajiri schools were being registered so that their pupils could eventually sit for recognised examinations at the end of primary and secondary education.
Sambo further highlighted the administration’s investment in vocational and technical education, saying the state has established an Institute of Vocational Skills Training to provide higher-level skills.
He said the institute has its headquarters in Kaduna, with branches in Soba and another location, adding that about 4,050 graduates had so far acquired various vocational skills through the programme.
The commissioner said the state government was pursuing the approach because countries such as China, India and South Korea had demonstrated the importance of skills development in driving rapid economic growth.
He urged groups and organisations supporting education to continue to work with the government in implementing its policies and programmes.
“Let us continue as groups like Boba to support the policies of Governor Uba Sani,” he said.
Credit to our Media Partner DailyTrust .
